CGHS Decentralizes Empanelment of AYUSH IPD Hospitals: A Major Boost for City-Level Healthcare Access

In a significant policy shift aimed at speeding up access to traditional healthcare systems, the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) has announced the decentralization of empanelment for AYUSH In-Patient Department (IPD) hospitals. The move allows CGHS city-level offices to process and finalize empanelment requests, marking one of the most practical reforms in the scheme’s recent history.

The decision was formally communicated through an Office Memorandum issued by the Director of CGHS on 19 November 2025. Until now, AYUSH IPD hospital empanelments were routed primarily through the CGHS Headquarters, leading to long waiting periods and administrative bottlenecks.

The new decentralized system is expected to change that.

What the new system means

Under the revised structure, empanelment files will now go directly to the Additional Director (AD) of the respective CGHS city. This gives local authorities the freedom to process proposals, verify eligibility, and extend approvals without depending entirely on the central office.

Officials say the reform mirrors the existing decentralized model successfully used for AYUSH Day-Care Centres—a system known for faster decision-making.

65 AYUSH IPD Hospitals already on CGHS list

CGHS officials confirmed that 65 AYUSH IPD hospitals are currently empanelled across India.

• 18 are in Delhi/NCR

• 47 are spread across other CGHS cities

Ongoing applications outside Delhi will be examined at the headquarters initially but, once approved, will shift to the relevant city for final empanelment and follow-up.

Why this matters

The popularity and demand for AYUSH treatments—Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy—have grown steadily. However, slow empanelment processes have often limited the availability of AYUSH IPD beds for CGHS beneficiaries.

Healthcare observers say the decentralized system could:

• Reduce processing time significantly

• Encourage more AYUSH hospitals to apply for empanelment

• Improve local health infrastructure planning

• Give CGHS beneficiaries faster and wider access to traditional medical systems

A senior CGHS officer explained, “Many hospitals lose interest because of long waiting periods at the central level. With city-based empanelment, we expect smoother operations and better service delivery.”

Part of larger AYUSH expansion under CGHS

The shift follows earlier reforms, including revised room rent structures and inclusion of more AYUSH systems under CGHS in 2023. Hospitals must still comply with eligibility norms such as:

• NABH accreditation or recognized teaching-hospital status

• Minimum bed requirements

• Electronic billing systems

• Performance bank guarantees

These standards will now be checked and validated at the city level as well.

A step towards better accessibility

As the government pushes for integration of traditional medicine into mainstream healthcare, the decentralization of AYUSH IPD empanelment is seen as a strategic move toward faster approvals and better reach.

Experts believe this reform could transform CGHS’s ability to serve lakhs of beneficiaries seeking holistic treatment options.